Method and apparatus for protecting workmen sandpapering automobile-bodies



0. FESSLEH. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING WORKMEN SANDPAPERING AUTOMOBILE BODIES.

APPLICATION F|LED APR. 7,1919- 1 92 7 Patented Oct. 4t, 1921 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. FESSLER.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FORPRO TECTING WORKMEN SANDPAPERING AUTOMOBILE BODIES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1919.

1,392 37Q, Patented Oct. 4, 1921;,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zvvav TOR m f7 7 701?.5 Y.

, c. FESSLER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING WORKMEN SANDPAPERING AUTOMOBILE BODIES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, I919.

1,392,876 P Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

ATTORNEY,

C. FESSLEH. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING WORKMEN SANDPAPERING AUTOMOBILE BODIES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, I9I9.

1,39%570 Patented 001;. 4, 1921 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Wfr-

a see PATNT @FFHCE? CHARLES FESSLER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO FISHER BODY CORPORA- TION, 01E DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW YO.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING WORKMEN SANDPAPER ING AUTOMO- BILE-BODIES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F EssLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michi-- gan, have invented a new and useful Imeprovement in Methods and Apparatus for Protecting Workmen Sandpapering Automobile-Bodies, of which the following is a as the putty coat. This is then sandpapered off and it is this work that has been very injurious to health and often deadly. White lead dust is extremely poisonous and the workmen contract what is" known as painters colic and a great many of them have died of this.

It is the object of this invention to ensheath the entire automobile body "with a sheet of air and to utilize both suction and propulsion to effect the travel of this air current and at the same time depend upon gravity and the large specific gravity of the lead particles to eliminate this deadly menace to the health. The air before it is returned to the air nozzles is air-washed, filtered, and heated, the former two operations to eliminate all the poisonous particles and the latter to prevent cold drafts which will injure the health of the workmen.

In 'the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus (the air showers being omitted) showing flopr registers for accommodating six automobile bodies at a time.

'2 is a cross section through therappaifi -tus showing an automobile body in position under what may be figuratively termed the air shower (taken on the line- 22 of Fig. "1).

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 1g. 1. ,Fig. 4 is a plan view of the conduit branches under one rectangle of registers.-

Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4L, 11921..

Application filed April 7, 1919. Serial No. 288,415.

air washer.

Referring to Fig. 2, the automobile will be seen under the air shower at and above the rectangular set of registers 12. These are shown in plan view, F 1g. 1. The rectangular set is calculated so that the rectangle will just nicely take an automobile body. This is also true of the air showers a above, which are in the form of rectangular air heads 0 having flexible cloth nozzles (2, while four pipes d (Fig. 6) furnish air fromethe air main 7 to the four separate heads 0. These shower heads and the air registers are set in rectangles that are substantially in registry. This forms almost a perfect sheathing of air along the vertical sides of the automobile body.

This in connection with the natural tendencv of the heavy particles of white lead to gravitate, effects almost a sure elimination of the deadly white lead dust that is set free from the body during the sandpapering operation.

It is quite iinportant-to-the proper performance of this process and the operation of the apparatus that the air sheathing shall nicely conform to the shape of the body forin the way it is not blown in the face of the workman, which might make it more deadly than with no air current at all. The air simply drapes down the side of the car with little or no tendency to spread out. This is due to the fact that not only is the air blown down in a sheet, ensheathing the body, but a powerful pull is exerted through the register with the aid of the suction fan 9 in the air return main 71.. This not only acts as a suction fan but as a fan for propelling the air through the Washer 21 and back through the air main f to the air showers. The washer and filter detailed in Fig. 9. comprise a plurality of horizontal.

and also inclined fine mesh-screens y arranged one above the other and each adapt- .ed to receive a; stream of water from the faucet is. These faucets are in a water line i this Well to keep this water in the well fairly hot so that moisture will'rise therefrom to furnish a suitable amount of moisture in the air. Steam coils pare provided in'the opening of the air main leading out of the washer to warm the air as it is the automobile body.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is detailed the -arrangement of under conduits for a rectangular set of registers. It will be seen that nearly all the registers have a separate-conduit connecting with the return main h. Hence the pull on the individual registers is equalized as'much as possible to avoid a strong air current on one portion of the body and a weak one at another portion. M designates an electric motor for operating both the fan'and the pump.

The operation of the apparatus and the method is very simple. The rectangular sets of registers 12 are located flush with the blown over 'floor and the bodies are rolled on their trucks directly over. a set of registers and brought under the air showers so that the air is blown and sucked in an ensheathing sheet over the sides of the car and substantially flush therewith. This sheet'being' blown over the sides substantially flush therewith has no tendency to spread and to diffuse the poisonous lead particles but clings closely to the surface of the car taking off all the lead particles that are set free by the sandpapering operation and carrying them off through the registers, through the fan, into the air washer, and .into the screen where they are separated by the action of the water and the screen.-

What I claim is:

1. The method of protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, which comprises, passing a 'current of air along the surface being sandpapered, substantially parallel therewith to carry off the particles set free by the s'andpapering. Y I

2. The method of protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, which comprises, the ensh'eathing of the'body in a vertical' .and downwardly traveling sheet of air traveling substantially parallel and contiguous to the sides of the body to carry away operation.

3. The method of protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, which comprises, circulating air infa cycle which inparticles set free by the sandpapering same has passed the surface and before it has again returned to the surface.

5. The method of protecting, workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, which comprises, the circulating of aheated air current in' a cycle which includes passing the current parallel with and contiguous to the surface being sandpapered and subjecting the current to an action for eliminating the dust particles before the same-has again returned to the surface.

-6. An apparatus for protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, having in combination, a substantially rectangular air shower above the body and a substantially rectangular set of air registers under thev body, the said rectangular shower and reglstei's being arranged to substantially register with the outlineof the body and means for forcing air through the air shower and into the registers under the body. 7. An apparatus for protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, having in combination, a substantially rectangular shower above the automobile body, a set of registers under the body and means for causing a stream of-air to travel from the air shower ensheathing the sides of the body and exhausting through the registers.

8. An apparatus for protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, having in combination, an air shower comprising air eduction members arranged to emit a sheet of air traveling vertically and downwardly,

and of an outline to encircle an automobile body, registers through which said air is exhausted and means for propelling said air through the air shower and into the registers. p

9. An apparatus protecting workmen sandpapering automobile bodies, having in combination, an air shower provided with a plurality of eduction parts arranged to emit a sheet of air above the body of substantially the outline of the body, registers located under where the body, is to rest for exhausting the air and means for taking the exhausted air, eliminating the particles set free by the sandpapering operation and returning same to the air shower under propulsion. a p

10. An apparatus for the purpose of protecting workmen sandpaperingautomobile bodies, having in combination an air shower arranged to deliver a vertical and downwardly traveling sheet of air having substantially the outline of an automobile body in top plan View, registers for location under the body into which the air is exhausted, and means for taking the air from said registers heating the same, eliminating the particles set free by the sand papering operation, and returning the said air under propulsion to the air shower.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on the 17th day of March, 1919.

CHARLES FESSLER. 

